tiber



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. C. TAB-ER.

TRAGTION ENGINE. 'V

' Patented Mar. 11.1884.

l UNITED STATES PATENT IFFICE@ LOYAII'O. TABER, OF SYRAOUSE, NEIV YORK.

TRACTloN-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,930, dated March11, 1884.

' Application filed December 18, 1883. (No model.)

efficiency of said engines in their self-propelling operation and toobtain. better control of the guiding of the same; and to that end myinvention consists, essentially, in the combination, with the forward orsteering truck, of a counter-shaft having a flexible joint to allow oneend thereof to accommodate itself to the oscillations of the axle, so asto be maintained at a uniform distance from the same, and mechanism fortransmitting motion from the driving-shaft to the'counter-sha'ft andfrom the latter to the forward axle, all as hereinafyter more fullydescribed, and set forth in the claims. y

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of atraction-engine provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the forward part'of the same, taken immediately inside ofthe forward traction-wheel. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectiontaken on line x x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached front and side View ofthe universal joint of the counter-shaft, and Fig. 5 illustrates thecompensating-gear employed on the forward axle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the boiler ofthe engine, mounted on axles B B, whicharearranged across opposite ends of the boiler, and are each providedwith traction-wheels XV, which usually have a transversely-ribbed treadto obtain the requisite hold on the ground to propel the engine whendesired to move the same from place to place- O designates thedriving-shaft, which receives its motion from the engine in the usual Bymeans of a driving-belt extended from the wheel D to the driving-pulleyof a thrashing-machine, wood-sawing 'machine, or any other machineadapted to be driven by the engine, said machine receives its power. Onthe driving-shaft is fastened a pinion, D, which meshes in a spur-wheel,E, and from the latter motion is transmitted to the rear axle, B, by themedium of a train of gears, F F F F, mounted on gudgeons secured to theside of the boiler, and a pinion, G, on the last of said gears,

engaging with a gear-wheel, H, fixed to the axle. On engines of thisclass carrying the boiler horizontally the propelling-power hasheretofore been applied only to the rear axle, owing to the difficultyof connecting the driving mechanism with the forward axle, which changesits lineal position when turning to travel around curves. I overcomethis difficulty by the following instrumentalities:l On the forwardaxle, B', is mounted a saddle or truck frame, I, provided with suitablebearings, a a, in which the axle is allowed its rotary motion. Thesaddle I is formed with a spheroidal step, b, in which is seated asemispherical bearing, K, firmly bolted to the under side of the boiler,said step and bearing constituting the pivotal support ofthe forward endof the boiler. The bearing K is hollow, and has on one side an opening,c, and on the opposite side a rigid sleeve, d, projecting therefrom.Diametrically through the aforesaid bearing is extended a counter-shaft,L, one end of which is journaled in the sleeve d, and the opposite endprojects through the opening c, and is journaled in a bearing, e,rigidly attached to the saddle I, as shown in 2 ofthe drawings. Saideounter-shaftis made iiexible by a universal joint, M, one form of whichis illust 1ated in Fig. I of -the drawings. rlhis joint is located inthe center of the pivotal support ofthe boiler, and allows one end ofthe counter-shaft to follow the axle B in its oscillatory movement,while the opposite end of the counter-shaftis maintained parallel withthe driving-shaft C by means ofthe sleeve d. This lineally-confined endof the counter-shaft projects at the end of the sleeve, and has fixed toit a pinion, N, which meshes in a pinion, N, mounted on a gudgeonrigidly attached to the boiler. The pinion N has on its outer face, andconcentric with it, a gear` IOC) wheel, O, which meshes in the samespurwheel .E from which motion is transmitted to the rear axle, in themanner hereinbefore described. All ofthe described gears are soproportioned as to equalize the travel of the rear and forwardtraction-wheels. The forward traction-wheels receive their motion fromthe counter-shaft L by means ot' a pinion, l?, on the vibratory end ofsaid shaft, which pinion engages a compensating-gear, R, mounted on theaxle, said compensatinggear being more fully illustrated in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, and consists of supplemental pinionsff, arranged inopenings in the web ofthe gear, and pivoted wit-h their axes radial tothe axes of the gear. Said gear is loose on the axle and stands betweentwo collars, S and S', which have on the side adjacent to the gear R anannular gear, g, engagingthe supplemental pinions ff. The collar S iskeyed or otherwise rigidly fastened on the axle, while the collar S isformed on the end of the hub T of the traction-wheel,

mounted loosely on the axle.

rl`he effect of the described compensatinggear is obvious. vhen theengine travels in a straight line, the traction-wheels at opposite endsof the axle vrevolve at a uniform speed 5 hence the supplementalpinionsfj" of the compensating-gear are dormant and simply perform thefunction of a clutch, which, by its engagement with the fixed collar S,compels the axle to rotate with the compensating-gear. lVhen, however,the axle is swung to guide the engine around a curve, the outer wheeltravels faster than the inner wheel, and colisequently the collars S andS have a differential movement, which imparts a rotary motion to thesupplemental pinions ff of the compensating-gear.

It will be observed that by means of said compensati n g-gear power canbe transmitted to two ditfcrentially-moving wheels.

By applying motive power to the forward wheels as well as the rearwheels, I obtain increased traetive power, and am allowed to betterdistribute the weight over the length of the engine, and am enabled tobetter guide the engine in its movement from place to place, inasmuch asthe augmented weight on the forwardwheels affords a better hold on theground.

Having described myinvention, whatI claim as new 1s l. In atraction-engine, an oscillatory supporting-axle having a central pivotedconnection with the boiler, a counter-shaft extended through the centerof said pivot and provided thereat with a universal joint, and mechanismfor transmitting motion to the oscillatory axle through the medium ofthe said counter-shaft, substantially as set forth and shown.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination of a saddle or truck framemounted on the forward axle and providedwith a semi-spherical step, ahollow hemispherical bearing secured to the boiler and seated in thestep, and provided on one side with an opening and at the opposite sidewith a rigid sleeve, a countershaft jonrnaled in said sleeve andextended through the hollow bearing and its side opening, and providedin the center of said bearing with a flexible 'ioint, a .'ournal-bearingon the saddle for the oscillatory end ofthe countershaft, pinions onopposite ends of the counter-shaft, a gear-wheel on the ,axle meshing inthe pinion on the oscillatory end of the counter-shaft, and a train ot'gears arranged to transmit motion from the driving-shaft to the pinionon the lineally-rigid end of the counter-shaft, substantially asdescribed and shown.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto signed my name and afiixed my seal,in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the countyofOnondaga, in the State of New York, this 14th day of December, 1883.

LOYAL (i. (FABER. [L lVtnesses:

FREDERLCK H. Giens, C. Il. DUELL.

